Letting Go
by loopier
Summary: Akira was adopted by Tadashi, Kakashi's ninja colleague. Years later, Akira grew up to be a fine young woman and, much to her father's dismay, has attracted a lot of male attention. After the war, a marriage law was  imposed, pairing Kakashi with Akira.
1. Meet Me at the Bridge, Dad

I don't own Naruto, only this plot

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The fog has yet to disappear, but he knew the battle on the bridge was over. He couldn't see anything, but the stillness in the air and the soundless noise assured him that they had won.

Ibiki, the leader, had the team medic look over the injured men, while the others were tasked to scout for survivors. Tadashi Itsumo did not hear the order and instead leaned against a railing and looked up to the sky with tired eyes.

Tadashi Itsumo looked forward to returning home where the 3rd Hokage agreed to accept his resignation as an active ninja. It had taken him months to finally strike up a deal with the old man. He agreed to take up 10 consecutive class S missions in exchange for his resignation as a ninja. The old man was not keen on accepting the deal; Tadashi was only 17 years old (far too young for retirement), not to mention the fact that he had been one of the better ninjas to emerge from Konoha in recent years. However, after reminding the Hokage about the tragedy that had occurred, the old man finally agreed.

After the death of his pregnant fiancée, Yuki, six months ago, Tadashi's heart just was not the same. He spaced out a lot during missions, often thinking about what could have been had he listened to his fiancée and stayed at home. If he did, maybe he would have been there when she fell; maybe he would have been able to take her to the hospital to save her life and their child's. Maybe by now, he would have been a father.

"waaaaaahh! Uwaaahhhh!"

Tadashi's thoughts were interrupted by loud wailing. He looked up to see his team mates huddled around a spot to his left looking dumbstruck.

"What is it?" he asked

"It's a baby. Mitsu, here, moved the bandit's body and the crate, with the baby inside, fell open" replied Ibiki, gesturing to Mitsu, who had the decency to look sorry for the baby.

After hearing this, Tadashi's blood boiled. _A baby? Who brings a baby into a battle? What kind of parenting is this? Had my baby survived, I wouldn't even let it out of the house for a year._

"uwaaahh! uhwaaah!"

Tadashi's silent complaints were cut short by the baby's cries. Though this time, it seems to be triggered by the incorrect way Mitsu was holding the baby.

"What are you doing?" shouted Tadashi, surprising not only his team mates but also himself. Tadashi was a silent man. He never shouted except in the heat of the moment during a battle. "You do not hold a baby that way! Support the head!" he continued, striding forward and taking the baby from the harassed looking ninja. He then proceeded to lay the baby along his folded arms, gently swaying back and forth.

And, as if on cue, the infant stopped crying and yawned drifting off to sleep.

The team looked on as the young man handled the baby with expertise. They all knew about him taking baby care classes as soon as he found out he was going to be a father. He had matured quite fast as well. "Preparing for fatherhood" he used to say. But they had abandoned the idea of ever seeing him carry a baby after what happened to his fiancée.

"You're a natural" said Ibiki. Everyone else on the team looked uncomfortable with his declaration. They had purposely avoided talking about children or fiancée's around Tadashi.

"oh come on!" Ibiki addressed the team "he's just turned 18! He's too young to give up on having a family. Technically, he was too young to have been an expecting father in the first place! If Yuki hadn't been his childhood friend, people would've been less forgiving about their condition and far less consoling about the tragedy."

It was true, but it wasn't as if Yuki's pregnancy was an accident, the young couple have been trying for months to conceive a child; the couple had said something about not wanting to be too old to be able to relate to your child when they become teenagers.

"hmm?" Tadashi wasn't even paying attention. He was captured by the baby's charm.

"What are you going to name it?" asked Ibiki.

"What do you mean?" replied Tadashi

"The way you look at that child… it seems you were thinking about it"

"No, I wasn't"

"Oh. Well you should anyway. Seems the parent was this man. He's dead now. That child is going to need a father. I'm sure you can adopt the child"

"Adopt a child from the battle field?"

"It's a rare phenomenon but not unheard of."

"Ridiculous! I would never—"

"Don't insult me. You've probably already planned out the first 5 years of that child's life while you were humming it a lullaby"

"No, I did—"

"Found out the gender yet?"

"Girl"

"Figured her name yet?"

"Akira, it means "clear, dawn" "

"Planned a welcoming party?"

"minimalist, just people from the team plus, the Hokage"

"1st birthday party?"

"picnic by the lake"

"First tooth party?"

"Chocolate chip ice creams for her and her nursery friends"

He banter went on and on as the rest of the team looked on. They would never say it out loud, but they agreed with Ibiki. There was something about the way Tadsahi held the baby that made them hope he was going to the adopt it.

"So it's settled! We are going to take the child with us back to the village, you will adopt it, and I expect to be the godfather" said Ibiki.

The team was hardly surprised by this proposal. Tadashi was close to Ibiki, having been trained by the head Intel ninja.

"Alright! Just slow down okay? I'm not sure yet. I may just leave her to the village's adoption program. Adopting seems weird. Besides, this does not replace the one I lost." Tadashi's voice cracked toward the end of his statement.

The team just stared in silence, not knowing what to say.

"Alright" said Ibiki "Everybody! Listen up, as soon as we finish cleaning up, we can head back"

The team followed the order and started to get to work. None of them saw the knowing smirk that played on Ibiki's face.

_The village's adoption program? Humph! Yeah, right!_

Meanwhile, Tadashi placed a kiss on the baby's forehead and whispered

"sleep tight, Akira."


	2. A Happy Family

"_Sleep tight, Akira"_

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**In the village**

"So you'll be adopting this child?" asked the old man

"Yes, Hokage-sama" replied Tadashi

"Well, I won't question your child rearing abilities. The child seems comfortable enough with you" replied the Hokage gesturing to the slumbering infant. "But are you sure? The father is dead, but the mother may still be alive and may want the child back"

"If she does come forward, I will hand the child over" replied the young man with a steady and calm voice, but the Hokage could see through it. He knew that Tadashi was wishing with all his might that the mother would not show up, so that the child could be his permanently. Perhaps therapy should be an option, just in case.

"Very well, I grant you permission to keep the child for now. But first, we must ensure that the child did not sustain injuries or diseases. We may have to have him quarantined for a while. And I am requiring you to attend therapy sessions. To prepare you for the possibility that the child's mother may turn up and demand the child's return to her custody. Do not give me that look!"

Tadashi had been glaring at the Hokage since he heard "Therapy Sessions". He thought he had convinced the old geezer that he was fine; that he did not have "letting go" issues. Sure, he had been distraught for the loss of his family, but who wouldn't be? However, in the interest of getting on the Hokage's good side, he decided to be mad about something else.

"It's a girl" Tadashi finally said

"What?"

"I was glaring at you because I already told you Akira is a girl. You said "Him" " he lied

"did I? oh well, my apologies then. Old age, you know. Now, unless you have any problems regarding my conditions, you may proceed to the hospital for a check up"

"Yes sir! Thank you sir" replied Tadashi snapping into salute form and turning to leave.

"Oh and Tadashi" said the Hokage

"Yes sir?"

"I hope you and the child get along well"

"Yes sir" replied the young man with a slight smile as he turned to leave.

Once outside the Hokage's office, Tadashi turned his attention to the sleeping baby

"We will get along won't we? I'll be your daddy from now on" he whispered

The baby opened it's eyes, and searched the young man's face and gurgled as if to reply.

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Over the years, Tadashi and Akira have been inseparable. Tadashi didn't quit being an active ninja but he did ask for restrictions when being picked out for assignments. For example, when Akira was younger than nine years old, Tadashi refused any job that would require him to be away from home for more than one day. In other words, he was given jobs that were usually reserved for genin-in-trainings. He also applied for an academy instructor job. It was in this job that he was able to meet Tomoko.

Tomoko was a widow whose son, Kenji, attended the academy. Tadashi frequently saw her picking him up after school. One day, he decided to strike up a conversation. From there, friendship and eventually love happened. They wed a year later and another year later welcomed a son of their own. They named him Daichi.

Tadashi now had a complete family. He thanked god everyday for giving him a family, particularly Akira. He felt that all the good things happened because she came into his life.

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**Procrastination nation. Will update soon**


	3. All in a day's work

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Years later

_Creak_

"Shhh!"

"It wasn't me!" said a young boy in a hushed tone

"Shut up!" said an older boy

"don't talk like that to your baby brother!" said a woman's voice

"guys, you know we're supposed to be quiet, right? Otherwise a surprise won't happen" said a calm older man

"he started it" said the annoyed voice "besides, this is lame. can't we use jutsus to surprise her?"

"You haven't learned the proper jutsus yet and besides your baby brother and mother don't know how"

The family was sneaking through their house's hallway attempting to be quiet while in the process. Unfortunately, attempting to be quiet with two younger boys in tow was impossible.

"boo!" said a girl's voice as a door to their left opened and revealed a young girl in her late teens.

Smirking, Akira said "you guys, how can you be considered ninja's when you can't even keep quiet?"

"Aww man! We got up early to surprise her and it backfires; those precious hours of sleep—gone!" whined Kenji.

"now, now" said Tomoko "we all did this to surprise your sister and to congratulate her for being appointed as an ANBU officer. It's not such a waste"

"Yeah, but what about…" started Kenji

"Momma, can I have some of the pancakes now?" said the 4 year old Daichi amid his older brother's complaints

"Of course you can sweetie" said Tomoko

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Later at Breakfast

"I'll take that" said Akira as she snatched the last fish away from Kenji's plate.

"Hey! I was saving hat for later!" said the young boy

"Too bad! It's my celebratory breakfast, I can eat whatever and all that I want"

"Nuh-uh" said Daichi "you can't eat whatever you like, you'll 'splode!, right mommy?"

"That's right" said Tomoko. "But, you know, your sister is very strong she can eat a lot and not even have a tummy ache."

"That's right! So after eating Kenji's fish, I can even eat your pancakes!" joked, Akira

The little boy's eyes went from wonder to frightened as his eyes got watery and searched the table for an ally

"Daddy! She can't do that, right Daddy? I like my pancakes very much!"

"Oh, I dunno. It is her special day"

The boy's expression was almost in tears as his lower lip trembled and his cheeks puffed out.

"Mommy!"

"Tadashi, Akira! Will you both stop that! It's so early in the morning and already you're being mean to him"

Tadashi chuckled and put a reassuring hand on his youngest son's head and said "no. Don't worry; even your sister can't do that"

With that, the younger boy's eyes cleared up and as he continued to eat his pancakes with much gusto and speed as if making sure his sister won't get a chance to grab one of his beloved pancakes.

After breakfast, the entire family gathered by the porch to bid Akira goodbye as she starts her first day as an ANBU member.

As Akira walked away, Tadashi can't help but feel sad. He hoped this wouldn't come. He was hoping his little girl would remain little and innocent and not have to be away from home and do dangerous things. But perhaps it was inevitable she would be a ninja.

He sighed as he realizes that he would now have to endure sleepless nights while he waits for his daughter to come home from a dangerous mission. All in a day's work for a parent.


End file.
